


Hot Rocks

by DarkEmeralds



Category: Firefly
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Gen, Humor, Kimono, Massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-12
Updated: 2005-07-12
Packaged: 2017-10-08 07:53:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/74366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkEmeralds/pseuds/DarkEmeralds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A kimono. A bathhouse. Cleanliness probably ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot Rocks

Surprising, really, how smooth it was. Didn't know these things came in such large sizes. Wasn't sure he wanted to know why. He ran his hand over it, and a ray of sunlight coming in through the dusty shop window picked up the glint of the beads just as his fingertips found their bumpy texture, little nubs, like...

"You like kimono?" the very small shopkeeper asked him. "This one big enough even for you." She laughed and took it out of his hands, shaking it and holding it up to the light. "See? Fan design. It mean prosperity. You buy? It look nice on you."

"These things're for womenfolk."

"I never see woman big like you," the shopkeeper said with another peal of laughter. Jayne certainly hoped he never saw one either. "This for man. You buy."

* * *

"Saw Jayne comin' out of the most unlikely place today," Zoe said, setting a white stone on the board. "You know that little silk shop down Japantown?"

Inara's eyebrows went up. "Sanji. Yes. She has some nice things. I've bought several items from her. Jayne was in there?"

"Uh-huh." Zoe observed Inara's move and scanned the Go board carefully before fishing a black stone from her bowl. "Had a parcel under his arm, too."

"Oh my."

* * *

"What do you mean, broke?"

"Aw, c'mon, Mal," Jayne whispered, leaning close and looking guilty. "Spot me twenty-five. You know I can beat these guys."

Mal glanced at the fellas offering them a game of pool. One drunk, the other gettin' there. "Reckon you can at that." Mal pulled the coin from his pocket and set it on the rail of the table. "I'd sure like to know how you managed to spend all your ready so fast."

Jayne muttered something that sounded like, "Yeah, well, keep wonderin'," but clamped his lips shut when Mal shot him a look.

"You don't win this back for me, I'm takin' it outta your hide."

Jayne nodded to the guys and started racking the balls, looking especially grim. "Whatever."

Jayne was hiding something, that was certain. Mal wasn't sure he really wanted to know what. Time enough to worry when Jayne started having _extra_ money.

* * *

Jayne knew a couple of the whorehouses in Rowena pretty well, but the bathhouses--they were a different matter. Didn't want to wind up in some all-sly kind of place where he might have to hurt somebody. He just wanted to get clean. Maybe get a little touch--he'd won some coin at the poolhall, and it might be enough.

He left the dock district behind a ways--no need to run into any of the crew if he could avoid it--and found himself back in Japantown. Finally spotted a place that looked right enough. Not too fancy, not too rough. Picture of a big wooden tub on the sign. He tucked his parcel more firmly under his arm and went in.

* * *

"Where you headed off too, Cap'n?"

Mal was feeling pretty good, the job completed and some extra cash in his pocket after Jayne's surprisingly fierce and accurate pool-playing. "I am gonna go find me some sweet-smellin' steam, and get the dust of Pacquin out from under my skin."

"Sounds real nice, Cap'n." Kaylee was looking forlorn. Mal hurried off before she could angle for an invite, wondering if things between her and the doc weren't going as well as she'd like.

* * *

"There are all kinds of bathhouses in Rowena, Kaylee." Inara finished sorting the black and white Go stones into their bowls. Zoe had given her a very good game.

"Ain't them places mostly--you know, pretty much whorehouses?"

"Not necessarily."

"It don't bother you, Mal goin' to one?"

"Not at all, _mei-mei_." She set the Go board on its shelf and turned to Kaylee with a smile she didn't feel. "We should just be grateful that Mal wants to take a bath."

* * *

Back in the days when his life had been normal, he'd availed himself of saunas at the club and expert massages whenever he could find time. Surgeons who didn't manage their stress endangered their patients and their careers. Now he could barely remember the last time he'd been really clean, let alone relaxed.

As he pushed open the door of the modest bathhouse, he told himself that he was _not_ looking to wash Kaylee's touch from his skin. Even after all that had happened, he didn't think he was capable of that much callousness.

* * *

"You all clean now, you go put on this nice kimono and go to hot rocks."

"Huh?" Jayne felt pretty relaxed. Mariko--that was her name, and she was real young, and pretty, too--had scrubbed his back and neck for him with some kind of scratchy cloth and soap that smelled like tea. Either this wasn't that kind of place, or Mariko wasn't that kind of girl, 'cause there'd been no sign that the price of admission had bought him any hanky-panky. That was okay. He was just glad most of him was under water in the big wooden tub. He hesitated to stand up right this second.

"You get out of water, go to hot rocks."

"Uh, yeah, okay. Just hand me that towel."

Mariko giggled. "It's okay. I see that all the time. Maybe Soo-Sung give you a hand with that. Not me."

Jayne smiled and got out of the tub. The silk of his new kimono felt really nice. All over.

* * *

Mal eyed the fella at the front desk with his best captainy gaze and said, "Just lookin' to get clean. Maybe clear the sinuses a mite. That's all."

"Yes, sir." The boy punched a button and the menu of services changed. Exotic offerings like "Lotus Blossom and Bamboo Shoot" were replaced with things like "Therapeutic Massage." He pointed to the steamroom heading, and Mal saw the word "eucalytpus."

"That one."

"Good choice, sir. Perhaps the hot rock treatment to follow?"

"Hot rock wha--?"

"Yes sir. Like acupuncture, only no needles. Smooth, heated stones are placed on your skin. Very relaxing and healing. I recommend it highly." The kid leaned forward and added, "If I may say so, you look like you could use it."

Mal glared at him. "And who would be administerin' these hot rocks?"

"I'll be available at that time."

"Uh huh. Well, I don't think--"

"And also Hoa," the kid added hastily, apparently more interested in a sale than a prize.

"Put me down for Hoa, then."

"Yes sir." The boy looked sulky. Mal tried not to feel flattered.

* * *

Mariko waited till the hard-looking man George was flirting with paid and went into the dressing rooms.

"He kinda nice," she said, gazing after him. Tight trousers. Not every spaceship guy stayed in good shape like that. The big man she'd just finished with was another one. It was turning out to be a pretty good afternoon for sightseeing.

"Yeah. Asked for Hoa, though."

"Not your type, huh, sly boy?"

George sighed. "I guess not."

Just then, the front door opened and another client walked in, young and handsome. Big blue eyes, Mariko noted. Dark hair like silk. Decent clothes. She withdrew behind the curtain again just as George said, "Good afternoon" and changed back to the exotic menu.

* * *

Mal showered quickly and put on the worn white robe that George at the front desk had supplied. He stepped out into the large common passage and was making for the steamroom at the back of the establishment when someone emerged from a door labeled "hot tubs."

"Jayne?" he said before he could stop himself. A snicker arose in his throat. That was the gaudiest--and almost surely the biggest--orange silk kimono Mal had ever seen. If he wasn't mistaken, it was beaded. Must be where the money'd gone. Jayne whipped around, clutching the front of the robe closed, but not before Mal caught a glimpse of somethin' he hoped never to look on again.

"Oh, hey, Mal," Jayne said, mustering an admirable nonchalance. "You here for the handjob too?"

Mal stared for a moment, wordless, then turned on his heel.

At that moment, the door from the reception area opened and Simon came through. He was clutching a couple of towels and a white cotton robe in his arms, and through his suprise Mal noticed that Simon's face was flushed. It got redder as the three of them stood there, rooted to the spot. A long, awkward moment passed.

"Uh. Yeah. Doc." Mal said at last, nodding, aiming for some kind of polite.

"Captain. I'm, uh, I--" Simon raised his free hand to his face and somehow his little finger found his mouth the way it did when the boy was flustered. "I'm glad to see you, uh, looking after your stress." His face grew redder still. Mal glanced at Jayne, who was looking from him to Simon with a dawning grin.

"Hey, he's here for the handjob, too, I bet."

Simon looked like to explode any second. "Just the hot rock treatment!" he spluttered, unconvincingly.

Mal rolled his eyes. "You don't owe _me_ any explanations, Doc," and noted that Simon had the grace to look at least a little guilty.

Mal thought maybe a little dignity could be salvaged here. Maybe. He included both Jayne and Simon in his best leadership glare. "Look. We get back to the ship, ain't none of us seen the other one here, _dong ma_?"

They both nodded.

"Good." Mal turned toward the steam room. As he made his way down the hall, he heard a girlish giggle, and Jayne's voice saying, "Reckon you must be Soo-Sung, huh?" He glanced over his shoulder. Jayne and his acre of orange silk were disappearing into one of the rooms.

And not only that. George, the sulky boy from the front desk, had appeared and was taking Simon's arm. "Right this way, sir," he was saying to the doc. "You'll enjoy the hot rocks. I promise."


End file.
